Conveying device with a planar conveying element

ABSTRACT

A conveying device with a revolving, extensively extended conveying member with an upper run section and with a lower run section, wherein the conveying member is deflected in two head-end regions that lie opposite one another. The conveying device includes a drive device arranged in a head-end region and having an electric drive motor and a drive shaft coupled thereto. The drive shaft has at least one drive member for driving the conveying member at least partly wrapping the drive member. The drive motor includes a motor shaft that is connected to drive shafts arranged on both sides of the motor, wherein the motor shaft and the drive shafts are arranged coaxially. The drive device is arranged within the conveying device between side limitation devices and between the upper and lower run sections and, in the conveying direction, is arranged between the two head-ends of the conveying member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to the field of conveying technology and concernsa conveying. The conveying device includes two side limitation deviceswhich are distanced to one another and run parallel to one another inthe conveying direction, at least one extensively extended conveyingmember with an upper run section and a lower run section and which isarranged in a revolving manner between the side limitation devices andis deflected in two head-end regions distanced to one another, a supportdevice with at least one support unit and which is arranged between theside limitation devices, and a drive device with at least one electricaldrive motor and with at least one drive shaft coupled to the at leastone drive motor and having at least one drive member for the directdrive of the conveying member which at least partly wraps the drivemember. The drive device forms a deflection location for the conveyingmember.

2. Description of Related Art

Conveying devices with a revolving, extensively extended conveyingmember such as a conveyor belt or mat chain are known in the state ofthe art. The conveying members as a rule are driven at one or twodeflection locations by way of a deflection shaft. These are led in asliding manner between the deflection locations, e.g. on slide rails,for supporting the conveying members in the region of the upper runsection. Conveying devices are also known, with which the conveyingmember rolls on rolling bodies between the deflections locations. Such aconveying device is disclosed e.g. in WO 2010/148523.

The mentioned conveying devices are applied for example as worker-riderbelts. The construction height of such worker-rider belts however shouldnot be too large. Thus today conveying devices are common, which forsuch specific applications have construction heights of maximal 120 mmto 170 mm, wherein the free height between the base rest and the lowerrun section of the conveying member is included in this dimension. Thecomparatively low construction height however represents a challengewith regard to the fashioning and design of the drive device.

DE-C-44 07 163 describes a conveying device of the known type, with aconveyor belt revolving around two deflection shaft-like pivots. Theconveyor belt is driven via one of the deflection shaft-like pivots,wherein the drive motor is arranged outside the driven conveyor belt.The defection shaft-like pivot is driven via a gear with a chain drive.It is obvious that the drive units with the drive motor and gear shouldbe arranged between the upper and lower run section of the conveyingmember as well as between the side limitation devices, since conveyingdevices of the mentioned type should also be designed in an as compactand space-saving manner as possible.

DE-U-93 16 012 likewise concerns itself with the problem of the limitedspace between the conveying section and deflection section of therevolvingly led conveyor belt of a conveying device. The conveyor beltin the deflection section wraps a drive wheel. The drive motor isarranged between the upper and the lower run section of the conveyingmember as well as between the side limitation devices.

For reasons of space, the drive shaft of the drive unit lies at rightangles to the rotation axis of the drive wheel. The transmission oftorque is effected via a gear with a bevel gear. The conveyor beltbetween the deflection regions is led in a sliding manner via sidecheeks.

DE 1 887 279 describes a conveying device of the known type, with arevolving, extensively extended conveying member which is driven via adeflection shaft-like pivot. The drive motor is arranged between the twodeflection regions within the conveying device, wherein the devicecomprises a gear with drive belts for transmitting the torque from themotor shaft onto the driven deflection shaft-like pivot.

DE 1 060 782 also describes a conveying device of the known type, with arevolving, extensively extended conveying member which is led over twodeflection locations which are distanced to one another. The conveyingmember here in contrast to the solutions described above, is not drivenin the region of the deflection, but in the region of the conveyingsection and return section, via a positive-fit connection in each caseto a drive member. The drive members are driven by a drive motor whichis arranged between the deflection locations within the conveyingdevice.

DE 10 2006 010 974 describes a conveying device comprising a conveyorbelt as well as an essentially horizontal guide frame with two lateralside cheeks extending horizontally in the longitudinal direction of theconveyor belt, at whose ends a deflection roller for the conveyor beltand driveable via a drive is rotatably mounted. The drive is arrangedbetween the two side cheeks.

DE 103 03 195 A1 describes a conveying device for transportingcontainers in clean rooms, which receive wafers. The transport devicecomprises two narrow belts which are distanced to one another, arrangedadjacent to two side limitation devices and are supported via supportrollers attached on the side limitation devices. The drive motor isarranged between the side limitation devices.

The solutions known in the state of the art however have disadvantages.Thus drive units which are arranged within the conveying device, as arule due to their compelling compact design, do not have enough power todrive conventionally designed conveying devices in a satisfactorymanner.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore the object of the invention, to suggest a conveyingdevice of the initially mentioned type, which overcomes thedisadvantages mentioned above. The object is achieved by the features ofthe independent claim 1. Further preferred embodiments and furtherdevelopments of the invention are to be deduced from the dependentpatent claims.

The object is achieved by way of the conveying device containing rollersfor the rolling support of the conveying member, and the drive devicewithin the conveying device being arranged in a head-end region: betweena conveying plane formed by the upper run section and a return planeformed by the lower run section, and seen along the conveying direction,between the two head-ends of the conveying member, as well as betweenthe side limitation devices.

The rollers can be provided in the support device and/or in theconveying member.

The drive device can comprise one, two, three or more than three drivemotors. The drive motors are preferably arranged one after the otherseen in the direction of the rotation axis of the drive shafts. Themotor shafts of the drive motors are preferably likewise arrangedaxially one after the other and form a common rotation axis, inparticular also with the drive shafts.

The drive device can comprise one or more drive shafts, wherein thedrive shafts are preferably arranged axially one after the other andform a common rotation axis.

The geometric rotation axes of the motor shaft and of the drive shaft orof all motor shafts and drive shafts are preferably arranged in a commonplane. This plane for example lies parallel to the conveying pane. Thegeometric rotation axes of the motor shaft and of the drive shaft or ofall motor shafts and drive shafts in particular are arranged congruentlyto one another. The motor shaft and the drive shaft for this can inparticular be arranged coaxially to one another.

The subsequent embodiments in the context of the drive motor, inparticular of its motor shaft, can be applied to one two, three or morethan three, which is to say all drive motors. Moreover, the subsequentembodiments in the context of the drive shaft can apply to one or more,which is to say all drive shafts.

The head-end regions correspond to the end sections of the conveyingmember, in which end sections the upper and lower run section are eachled via a deflection member into a deflection. The head-ends, as partsof the head-end regions, seen parallel to the conveying direction,correspond to the outermost point of the conveying member in thedeflection.

The at least one drive device arranged in the head-end region transmitsthe drive force via a drive member fastened on the drive shaft, directlyonto the conveying member.

The conveying member in the head-end region is preferably deflectedabout an angle of larger than 135° (angle degrees), in particular by180° or larger. The deflection in particular effects a reversal of themovement direction of the conveying member.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, the drive motor isdesigned for picking up a torque from two locations on the drive motorwhich lie opposite one another and lie in a common axis. The drive motoris coupled via drive output locations in a direct or indirect manner todrive shafts arranged on both sides. The drive motor in particular onboth sides comprises motor shaft run sections which lead away from thisand which are coupled directly or indirectly to drive shafts arranged onboth sides.

The drive shaft can be arranged centrically in the geometric rotationaxis of the drive device and be mounted in a rotatable manner. The drivemotor can also be a drum motor, wherein the drive shaft in this case isa hollow shaft which is rotatably mounted about a motor shaft-like pivotwhich is arranged in a rotationally fixed and centric manner in thegeometric rotation axis of the drive device. The motor shaft-like pivotis torque-secured. Drum motors are particularly suitable for africtional drive of conveyor belts. On account of their power spectrum,they are particularly suitable for smaller conveying devices, such ascurve conveyors. A shaft-like pivot is hereinafter to be understood asthe general term for any shaft-like member, like a beam, shaft, axle orspindle, collectively understood by the obsolete term “arbor”.

The drive motor can basically be a synchronous motor, an asynchronousmotor or d.c. motor. The drive motor is preferably a brushless d.c.motor (BLDC-motor).

The drive motor preferably comprises a micro-controller for carrying outmotor control functions. The drive motor can in particular comprise anelectric speed controller for the control of the rotational speed and/oras a dynamic brake (electronic speed control, ESC)

The drive supply voltage and the electronics supply voltage which bothpreferably are 24 V, are preferably made available via two separatemains parts.

The largest diameter of the drive motor, including the motor housing canfor example be 50 to 100 mm, in particular 55 to 70 mm.

The control signals can be sent from the control unit to the drive motoras digital or analog signals. The control signals are preferably digitalsignals. For this, the drive motor e.g. has a CAN-bus interface whichhas a signal input and signal output.

According to a preferred further development of the invention, in eachcase a gear unit is attached on the drive motor on both sides of thedrive motor, between the drive shaft and the drive motor and this gearunit takes up the torque from the motor shaft. The gear shafts of thegear units are connected directly or indirectly to the connecting driveshafts.

The gear units can basically be designed as assembly modules. They can,e.g. via screw connections, be flanged onto the drive motor, as the casemay be in a coaxial manner. The two gear shafts of the gear units as thecase may be are arranged coaxially to the motor shafts and the driveshafts.

It is also possible for the gear or gears to be already integrated inthe drive motor and for gear shafts or output shafts to lead away fromthe drive motor on both sides to the drive shafts. Moreover, it is alsopossible for the drive motor to be operated as a direct drive in anoptimal speed range and therefore no (transmission) gear is necessary.

According to a particular embodiment, means are provided which permitthe drive members arranged along the rotation axis of the drive deviceto be operated at different angular speed. The means such as e.g.transmission gears can be integrated into the drive members. Inparticular, it is possible for a transmission gear to be assigned toone, more or all drive members. This transmission gear can be integrateddirectly into the respective drive member. The transmission gear forexample is a planetary gear with planet wheels which are arranged arounda sun wheel and which are arranged on a planet wheel carrier. The drivemember hereby preferably forms a hollow wheel with an inner toothingwhich cooperates with the planet wheels. Moreover, the hollow wheelpreferably has an outer toothing for a positive-fit drive or a drivelateral surface for a friction-fit drive of the conveying member. Theplanetary gear can be a gear reduction or gear step-up. The planetarygear is preferably driven via the sun wheel.

Preferably, a rotationally elastic and/or flexurally elastic shaftcoupling is arranged on both sides of the drive motor, between the drivemotor and the respective drive shaft and in particular between a gearunit and the drive shaft. The shaft coupling preferably connects a driveshaft to the gear shaft of the gear unit or to the motor shaft of thedrive motor.

The shaft coupling preferably consists of two coupling halves and anelastic intermediate ring, wherein the shaft coupling permits apositive-fit torque transmission. The coupling halves are e.g. designedas claws. Preferably, a shaft coupling of the type TRASCO® is applied.The shaft coupling permits a secure force transmission with a reductionof knocks and rotational oscillations. Moreover, the shaft couplingcompensates angular and radial errors and permits small axialdisplacements. The coupling is also suitable for an operation in twoconveying devices, which is to say with opposite rotation directions ofthe drive shafts.

According to a further embodiment, the drive motor is arranged such thatthe rotation axis of the motor shaft is at an angle to the rotation axisof the drive shaft of the drive member. The torque here is preferablytransmitted from the motor shaft onto the drive shaft via an angulargear. The angular gear can be a bevel gear, a worm gear or a hypoidbevel gear.

The rotation axes of the motor shaft and the gear shaft or drive shaftcan enclose an angle of larger than 0° (angle degrees) up to anincluding 90°. Preferably, they enclose an angle of 90°.

The angular gear can be part of a gear unit which connects onto thedrive motor towards the head-end or is integrated into this drive motor.

The motor shaft or driven shaft of the drive motor for this leads intothe gear unit. Gear shafts lead on one or both sides at an angle, inparticular at a right angle, to the motor shaft or driven shaft, out ofthe gear unit to the drive members. Gear shafts leading away on bothsides usefully run parallel and in particular coaxially to one another.According to this variant, the drive motor is preferably arrangedcentrally in the drive device and accordingly centrally between the twoside limitation devices.

Here too, preferably a rotationally elastic and/or flexurally elasticshaft coupling is arranged between the gear unit and the drive shaft.The shaft coupling connects a drive shaft of the drive member to thegear shaft of the gear unit. The shaft coupling can be designedaccording to the preceding description.

If the drive device comprises several drive motors, then these arepreferably arranged next to one another in a manner such that therotation axes of the motor shafts run parallel to one another.

The drive member is likewise arranged coaxially to the drive shaft and,as the case may be, also coaxially to the motor shaft. The drive memberis preferably a drive roller which is attached on the drive shaft in arotationally fixed and coaxial manner, or a drive cog. Preferably atleast one, preferably at least two drive members are provided in eachcase on both sides of the drive motor. The drive members are preferablypushed onto the drive shaft and are secured axially as well asrotationally by way of suitable securing means,

The drive shafts each with their free end are rotatably mounted on aside imitation device on both sides of the drive device. For this, ineach case a bearing unit is attached on the side limitation device, inwhich bearing unit the free end of the drive shaft is mounted in afreely rotatable, but axially secured manner. The bearing unit ispreferably a ball bearing.

The drive device which comprises one or more drive motors, the driveshafts and, as the case may be shaft couplings and one or more gearunits, as well as ball bearings, is basically preferably designed as anassembly unit. The assembly unit is preassembled and in the end assemblyis installed completely into the conveying device. This is effected byway of the drive device being introduced for example from the top orfrom the front between the side limitation devices, being brought intoposition and locked. Accordingly, the drive device can preferably bedismantled again by way of this, after removal of the drive member,being able to be lifted upwards for example, out of the side limitationdevices. The drive device is preferably introduced via the lateral ballbearing which is part of the assembly unit, into suitable guides in theside limitation devices. The guides in the side imitation devices can beslide guides.

The side limitation device which e.g. comprises lateral longitudinalprofiles can be part of a support frame. The side limitation device inparticular laterally embraces the conveying device. The side limitationdevice together with a head-end limitation device which e.g. comprisestransverse profiles can form a carrier frame or support frame.

According to a special further development of the first embodiment ofthe invention, the drive device has a symmetrical construction, whereinthe drive motor is arranged centrally. The gear unit, the shaftcoupling, the drive shaft as well as the drive members and finally alsothe bearing units for the drive shafts and which are provided on theend-side, are arranged symmetrically to one another on the left andright of the drive motor.

The drive motor is fastened preferably directly or indirectly on atransverse component. The transverse component for its part is fastenedon both sides on the side limitation device. The transverse component isa longitudinal body and can e.g. be designed as a profile component. Thetransverse component preferably runs parallel to the rotation axis ofthe drive device.

According to a particular further development of the first embodiment,the drive motor is arranged laterally on the side limitation device. Thedrive motor is coupled on the side which is away from the sidelimitation device, to a single-part or multi-part drive shaft. The driveshaft extends over the width of the conveying member to the oppositelylying side limitation device and is attached on this in a rotatablemanner. Basically, a drive motor can be arranged laterally on the sidelimitation device on both sides and together drive a single-part ormulti-part drive shaft lying therebetween. Multi-part means that thedrive shaft is composed of several part shafts in the axis direction.

The electric drive motor is preferably driven with a voltage of 24 V.The conveying device therefore preferably comprises a transformer forsupplying the drive motor with electric energy. This transforms theelectrical current from a mains voltage of e.g. 230 V or 380 V to 24 V.

The transformer is preferably likewise arranged within the conveyingdevice: between the side limitation devices and between a conveyingplane formed by the upper run section and a return plane formed by thelower run section, considered along the conveying direction, between thetwo head-ends of the conveying member.

The transformer can e.g. be arranged between a first deflection devicewhich is designed as a drive device and is at the first head-end, and afurther deflection device or drive device at the second head-end e.g. inthe region of the support device. The transformer for example isarranged between individual support units. The drive motor for exampleis arranged between individual support units. The drive motor canhowever also be fed via a 24 V d.c. voltage.

Moreover, preferably a control unit for the control of the drive motoris also assigned to the conveying device. The control unit is preferablylikewise arranged within the conveying device: between the sidelimitation devices and between a conveying plane formed by the upper runsection and a return plane formed by the lower run section as well as,considered along the conveying direction, between the two head-ends ofthe conveying member.

The control unit can e.g. be arranged between a first deflection devicewhich is designed as a drive device and is at the first head-end, and afurther deflection device for drive device at the second head end e.g.in the region of the support device. In particular, the control unit canbe arranged in the region of the support device between individualsupport units. However, one can also envisage the control unit for thedrive control being arranged outside the conveying direction.

The control unit preferably comprises a processor as well asadvantageously also an electronic data memory.

The control unit can comprise a mains apparatus for the separate supplyof the control unit with electrical energy. Thus the control unit can befed with electrical energy independently of the drive motor. This isparticularly important in the start phase, in which the drive motor hasa very high energy requirement, so that further consumers which areconnected to the same current circuit can only be provided with power toan insufficient extent. The mains apparatus is preferably likewisearranged within the conveying device between side limitation devices andbetween the upper and lower run section as well as, considered in theconveying direction, between the two head-ends of the conveying member.The mains apparatus in particular can be arranged in the region of thesupport device between individual support units.

Moreover, a cooling device such as a fan, for cooling the transformer,mains part and/or control unit can be arranged within the conveyingdevice between side limitation devices and between the upper and lowerrun section as well as, considered in the conveying direction, betweenthe two head-ends of the conveying member. The cooling device can alsobe designed for leading away the heat from the mentioned devices intoaluminium components of the support device.

As already mentioned, the conveying member is deflected at deflectionlocations at two head-ends which are distanced to one another, from anupper to a lower or from a lower to an upper run section. If theconveying device forms a linear conveying stretch, then the head-endsare for example arranged lying opposite one another. The upper runsection forms a conveying section which receives the conveyed goods andthe lower run section forms a return section of the conveying member.The deflection and the drive by the drive device according to theinvention are effected at least at one of the head-ends.

A drive device according to the invention can likewise be provided atthe other head-end, so that the conveying member can be simultaneouslyor selectively driven at two head-ends.

A conveying device with drive devices at both head-ends can be operatedin two conveying directions, specifically in a forwards direction and abackwards direction, wherein in each case that drive device which loadsthe conveying member with tension in the respective conveying directiondrives the conveying member. A conveying device which can be operated intwo conveying directions is necessary for example with the storage spaceconveying devices, loading space conveying devices and loading conveyingdevices which are described further below.

Conveying members of conveying devices in the form of conveying chainsare preferably driven exclusively in tension, since such conveyingchains as a rule are not tensioned in contrast to conveyor belts,conveyor bands or conveyor strips. In this case, a drive device isarranged at both head-end regions, so that the conveying chain can alsobe driven without slip in directions opposite to one another

If drive devices are arranged in both head-end regions, then the onedrive device which in particular is provided for the drive of theconveying member in the direction opposite to the current conveyingdirection can be applied for braking the conveying member moved in theconveying direction. In this manner, the conveying member can be stoppedin a short time. Suitable means are provided for this.

Moreover, the drive device which is mentioned above and which inparticular is provided for the drive of the conveying member in thedirection opposite to the current conveying direction, can be appliedfor braking the conveying member moved in the conveying direction, inorder to alleviate or reduce oscillations in the conveying device, inparticular in the conveying member. Suitable means are provided forthis. The means can in particular envisage a control loop, by way ofwhich occurring oscillations are counter-controlled by way of a targetedbraking. By way of this, dynamic oscillation increases of the system canbe counteracted.

However, it is also possible to provide only a drive-less defectiondevice in the other head-end region. The deflection device can be ashaft-like pivot with deflection members arranged thereon, e.g. in theform of deflection rollers or deflection cogs. For this, the shaft-likepivot can be mounted on the side limitation device in a freely rotatablemanner in one or both directions and/or the deflection members aremounted on the shaft-like pivot in a freely rotatable manner in one orthe other directions and this shaft-like pivot can be fastened in arotationally fixed manner. With the first mentioned variant, thedeflection members can be connected to the shaft-like pivot in arotational fixed manner.

One can further envisage one or more, further drive devices beingprovided between the two deflection devices on the head-end side. Thisat least one further drive device comprises an electrical drive motorand a drive shaft coupled to the drive motor. The drive shaft carries atleast one drive member, e.g. in the form of a drive roller or a drivecog, for driving the conveying member. The conveying member has at leasta tangential drive contact with the drive member. The drive shaft ispreferably likewise mounted on the side limitation devices or oncomponents which are attached on the side limitation devices.

The drive device of this intermediate drive can be designed according toone of the previously described embodiments for drive devices.

The support device according to a first preferred design solution isarranged between the two side limitation devices as well as between thetwo head-end regions. I.e. the support rollers are only arranged betweenthe deflection shaft-like pivots or drive shaft-like pivots of thehead-end regions. These are thus not led around the deflectionshaft-like pivot or drive shaft-like pivot in the head-end regions.

The rolling bodies or support rollers are preferably not driven directlyvia the drive. Rather, they are preferably driven indirectly via theconveying member, i.e. are set into a rolling movement.

The drive of the rolling bodies or support rollers is effected inparticular by way of the conveyed goods with their weight force loadingon the support rollers via the conveying member, i.e. the conveyingmember pressing against the support rollers.

The support device or the at least one support unit can comprises aplurality of rotatable rollers, on which the conveying member issupported in a rolling manner. The rollers are preferably arranged onsupport device in a manner distributed over the surface extension of theconveying member. Since the support device is arranged between the twoside limitation devices, the rollers are not arranged and fastened onthe side limitation devices, but between these.

The rollers according to a first variant are each axially mounted via aphysical rotation shaft-like pivot, wherein the rotation shaft-likepivot is arranged in a stationary manner. According to this variant, therollers are preferably arranged in the stationary support device,wherein the weight load is transmitted via the rotation shaft-likepivots from the rollers onto the support device.

The rollers according to a second variant in each case can be axiallymounted via physical rotation shaft-like pivot, wherein the rotationshaft-like pivots are movably arranged in the conveying direction.According to this variant, the rollers are preferably arranged on theconveying member, wherein weight load is transmitted via the rotationshaft-like pivot from the conveying member onto the rollers and viathese onto the support device.

The rollers according to a third variant can be arranged in a mannerrolling over a support body in a stationary support device, wherein theweight load is transmitted via the lateral surface of the rollers fromthe conveying member onto the support device. The rollers are amongstother things movable along a stretch parallel to the conveying device.

The support device in a further development of the invention preferablycomprises a plurality of support units which are arranged in the surfaceof the conveying member and on which the conveying member is supportedin a rolling manner in the region of the upper run section. The supportunits can be axially mounted rollers or rollers movable in a rollingmanner parallel to the conveying direction, or in each case comprise arolling body with a plurality of rollers or consist thereof. The rollersor the rolling body are rotatably mounted on the sport device itself oron the support unit or a support body of the support unit.

According to a preferred embodiment of the conveying device according tothe invention, the support units in each case comprise a support body aswell as a rolling body with a multitude of rollers which are arrangedrevolving around the support body in a closed circuit. The rollers runwith their lateral surface along a closed movement path on the supportbody. The rollers can be connected to one another into a rolling bodyvia suitable connection means. The connection means can be flexiblesurface elements, e.g. textile sheet formations. The rollers are notmounted on rotation shaft-like pivots. The resting force of theconveying member acting on the rollers is accordingly not transmitted onrotation shaft-like pivots but via the lateral surface of the rollers,onto the support body.

One can also envisage the support device containing a common base bodywhich forms the support bodies for a plurality of revolving, independentrolling bodies.

Moreover, a co-running belt can be arranged between the conveying memberand the rolling body of the support unit and this belt covers therollers, so that the conveying member rolls indirectly on the rollersvia the belt. The conveying member thus rolls on the belt in a mannerlying on the rollers. The belt can e.g. be led together with the rollersaround a support body. Such a belt is particularly useful in combinationwith a mat chain: in contrast to a conveyor belt, a mat chain hasopenings which permit its movement ability, but also a falling-down ofdirt on into the rolling body. This problem is counteracted by thementioned belt.

A conveying device with the described support units is disclosed forexample in WO 2010/148523A1.

In a further development of this embodiment, seen in the conveyingdirection, several support units arranged one after the other in eachcase with a support body and a rolling body can form a roller track.

The roller track can also however be formed by an individual supportunit with a support body and a rolling body of the type described above.

Thus the support device can comprise several roller tracks which arearranged parallel next to one another, each with a plurality of rollersor rolling bodies which are arranged one after the other. The individualroller tracks can for example has a distance to one another of a rollerwidth or of a multiple of this.

Several roller tracks which are arranged in parallel next to one anothercan form a support module, wherein the conveying device can be formed invariable lengths by an arrangement of several such support modules oneafter the other in the conveying direction. Such a support module canhave a length of 0.5 m to several metres in the conveying direction.

The support units and with them the associated rolling bodies can alsobe arranged in a tile-like pattern with a lateral offset to one another,in the support device.

The support units can be held by longitudinal beam elements which lieparallel to the conveying direction. The longitudinal beam elements canbe supported on a carrier device arranged below. The carrier device cane.g. be a grating which is carried by the side limitation device.Moreover, the longitudinal beam elements are preferably aligned viatransverse components. These e.g. are arranged in the head-end region.The longitudinal beam elements can also be (additionally) supported viathe transverse components. The transverse components in turn arepreferably fastened on the side limitation device. Preferably, the drivemotor is also held on the mentioned transverse component as alreadymentioned, in the region of the drive device.

The longitudinal beam elements can be designed as U-profiles which areopen to the upper run section. The support units are placed in theU-profile and are secured in this in a stationary manner. The supportunits preferably ensure a surfaced support of the conveying membertransversely and longitudinally to the conveying direction.

According to an alternative embodiment variant of the invention, the atleast one support unit is designed such that the support rollers whichrevolve around the support body along a revolving track, in an upperrevolving track section, in which the support rollers roll in theconveying direction, form a conveying rest for the upper run section ofthe conveying member, and in a lower revolving track section, in whichthe support rollers roll in a direction opposite to the conveyingdirection, form a guide rest for the lower run section of the conveyingmember. The upper and the lower revolving track section lie opposite oneanother. A support structure is preferably arranged between the tworevolving track sections.

The support rollers can be guided in their upper and lower revolvingtrack section in C-shaped or U-shaped profiles.

According to a further development of the support device, this has anextensively extended support body which serves a support body for aplurality of revolving rolling bodies which are arranged directly or ata distance next to one another and parallel to one another. The rollingbodies at least in sections, in particular on an upper or lower tracksection, can be led in C-shaped or U-shaped profiles. The support bodypreferably comprises a support structure arranged between an upper and alower track section.

According to a second design solution of a support device, with respectto the conveying member, a plurality of stationarily and axiallyrotatably mounted rollers are attached on the conveying member at itsflat side which faces the support device. The rollers are accordinglymoved together with the conveying member in the conveying direction.Thereby, they cooperate with the support device by way of them rollingon the support device. The support device for this can form a stationaryroller track.

In contrast to rolling bodies which are led in a rolling manner aroundsupport bodies, the load here is carried by roller shaft-like pivots.The conveying member however despite this forms a smooth conveying planetowards the conveying surface. This means that the rollers are arrangedbelow the conveying plane and do not project beyond the conveying plane.For this, the conveying member via the rollers forms a closed covering.

The conveying member preferably has a plurality of rollers over thecomplete longitudinal extension and these rollers are arranged distancedto one another. The individual rollers can extend over the whole widthof the conveying member. However, a plurality of rollers which arearranged offset or at the same height next to one another can also beprovided over the width of the conveying member.

The rollers, seen in the conveying direction, can for example bearranged in the form of parallel roller tracks arranged next to oneanother, in each case with a plurality of rollers arranged one after theother. The roller tracks can for example have a distance of one rollerwidth to one another or a multiple of this.

The rollers thus ensure a uniform, rolling support on the supportdevice. The support device for this forms a plane roller surface for therollers. The support device can further form one or more parallel rowsor tracks of rollers arranged one after the other in the conveyingdirection, also so-called runner rails.

According to this embodiment, the conveying member as describedhereinafter is preferably a link chain or a mat chain.

The conveying member and the drive device or their drive members can bedesigned such that the rollers on the conveying member engage intocorresponding recesses of the drive member and thus participate inensuring the necessary positive-fit connection for transmitting a drivemoment from the drive member onto the conveying member.

The extensively extended conveying member can be of one or more parts.The conveying member is characterised in that this forms a rest surfacefor the conveyed goods. The conveying member is thus in direct contactwith the conveyed goods which is conveyed on this.

The conveying member can be a conveyor belt, a conveyor strap or aconveyor strip. The conveying member however is preferably a linkedconveying chain with a closed conveying surface in each case ofindividual chain links connected to one another in an articulatedmanner. Such a conveying chain can e.g. be an extensively extended linkchain, a module belt, a plate chain, a module belt chain or a mat chain.The conveying chain can also be a hinge belt chain or a plate beltchain. The chain links of the conveying chain can consist e.g. ofplastic. Such a conveying chain in the embodiment of a mat chain isdescribed for example in the Swiss patent application No. 2011 0649/11.

The use of conveying chains has the advantage that their conveyingsurface can be loaded to a much greater extent than the conveyingsurface of conveyor belts, conveyor bands or conveyor strips on accountof the comparatively solid design of the chain links. One can conveytransport and store heavy goods such as automobiles or lorry loads withthe conveying device according to the invention by way of this.

The conveying device can comprise a single conveying member which inthis case preferably extends over the whole width between the sidelimitation devices. The conveying device can however also comprise two,three or generally a plurality of conveying members arranged parallelnext to one another. The conveying members can be arranged distanced toone another or directly next to one another.

The plurality of conveying members are however preferably commonlydriven via the same drive device(s).

The conveying member in the region of the lower run section, in which noloading due to the conveyed goods is present, can be led and supportedin a sliding manner via slide elements. However, it is possible for theconveying member to also be supported and led in a rolling manner, inthe region of the lower run section via rollers, in particular viasupport units with rolling bodies of the type mentioned above.

According to a further development of the invention, the conveyingdevice comprises a deflection member which is assigned to the drivedevice and which deflects the conveying member in the region of thelower run section towards the drive member, so that the wrapping angleof the conveying member around the at least one drive member is morethan 180°.

The conveying device can be applied for conveying bulk objects or pieceobjects such as resting objects or objects movable by themselves. Pieceobjects can be goods or living beings, e.g. people animals or plants.The conveying surface formed by the extensively extended conveyingmember can run in a level or inclined manner. The conveying member canrun linearly or arcuately, wherein the curve shape with an inclinedconveying surface can be led upwards or downwards in a helical or spiralmanner. The conveying device can e.g. be designed as a moving walkway ormoving ramp. Moving walkways or moving ramps e.g. are applied inairports, shopping centres or railways stations for transporting peopleover a longer distance.

The friction is considerably reduced thanks to the rolling support andguiding of the conveying member in the region of the upper run section,by which means lower-powered and smaller drive motors, which meet thesame demands on the operation of the conveying device as higher-poweredand larger motors applied until now, can be applied for the drive of theconveying member. The motors can thus be designed accordingly smallerand compactor. Gear arrangements which take up much space can be doneaway with due to the integration of the drive motor into the driveshaft-like pivot of the deflection shaft-like pivot. Moreover, the lowpower demands also permit the application of drum motors as describedfurther above.

The conveying device can be built in a very compact manner due to theintegrated construction manner, with which the drive device as well asthe support device are arranged within the revolving conveying memberand within the side limitation device. The conveying device inparticular has no disturbing contours which are produced by the devicecomponents and which lie outside the side limitation device and theconveying member.

Thus the construction height as well as the intrinsic weight can be keptlow, which in turn permits an application of the conveying device withrestricted spatial conditions. Thus the construction height from theground up to the conveying surface can e.g. be only 120 mm.

For the reasons mentioned above, the conveying device is also inparticular applied as a worker-rider belt. Worker-rider belts areapplied in industrial manufacture, in which working steps, such asassembly steps need to be carried out on objects of a manufacturing linewhich move past. The worker is co-moved on a worker-rider belt parallelto the object in the conveying direction, in order to give theindividual worker enough time to carry out his working steps on theobject moving past. The worker can be co-moved with the objects e.g. ina speed-synchronous manner.

Such a worker-rider belt can have a length of some metres, e.g. of 20-50m. An individual worker-rider belt can form a module, wherein muchlarger conveying stretches can be achieved by way of a series connectionand, as the case may be, common control of several such modules.

The conveying device according to the invention can also be applied as aloading space conveying device. The loading space conveying device cane.g. be used in a road vehicle, such as lorry, in a rail vehicle such asfreight wagons, in a water vehicle such as a freight ship or in a flightvehicle such as an aeroplane.

Moreover, the loading space conveying device can also be applied forloading and unloading a container in a freight container or shipcontainer. Such containers serve for the transport of goods at on theroad, by rail, in the air or at sea and are accordingly transported byroad vehicles, rail vehicles, air vehicles or water vehicles.

Moreover, the conveying device according to the invention can also beapplied as a storage space conveying device in a storage system, inparticular in a high-bay warehouse. The storage system in particular ischaracterised by a plurality of pallet spaces. The storage system canhave a plurality of storage levels arranged above one another. Eachstorage level in turn has a plurality of pallet spaces which seen in thesetting direction are arranged next to one another and/or one after theother.

Each pallet space or several pallet spaces together each comprise thestorage space conveying device according to the invention. The storedgoods are led on transport pallets by way of transport apparatus such asfor lift trucks or lift vehicles, to the pallet spaces, i.e. to therelease and removal location in the storage system, are deposited ontothe storage space conveying device there and are conveyed via this inthe setting direction to the envisaged pallet space.

The fetching of the stored goods is effected in the reverse manner. Theplatted stored goods are conveyed from their pallet space on the storagespace conveying device in the direction of the removal location andreceived there by a transport apparatus and transported away.

The release location can correspond to the removal location, so that thestored goods are fed into the storage system at the same location andare taken from this in the opposite conveying direction. Such storagesystems as a rule function according to the “first in, last out”principle.

The release location and removal location can however also be spatiallyseparated and e.g. lie opposite one another. In this case, the storedgoods are released at the release location and taken at the removallocation. Such storage systems as a rule function according to the“first in, first out” principle.

The described storage systems serves for storing, which is to say thestorage of stored goods or the buffering of goods between two processingsteps or transport steps or conveying steps.

A further use of the conveying device according to the invention lies inthe field of curve conveyors, with which the transported goods areconveyed around an angle of e.g. 90° (angle degrees). The arcuate trackof the conveying member can also be led around an angle of less or morethan 90°. If the conveying surface has a gradient, then the arcuatetrack can even be led helically around an angle of more than 360°. Thecurve conveyor which can be such as are known from the state of the artcan be operated with a conveyor belt or a mat chain. The two head-ends,at which the conveying member is deflected from the upper into the lowerrun section or vice versa, and at which the drive devices are arranged,are at that angle to one another, by which the transported goods are tobe led around a curve. The drive device has a construction according tothe invention.

Since the conveying member on the outer arc needs to cover the greaterpath than on the inner arc, the conveying member runs with a greaterspeed at the outer arc than at the inner arc. Accordingly, drive memberson the outer arc need to have a higher rotational speed than drivemembers on the inner arc. With drive rollers which drive the drivemember by way of a friction fit, the difference can be regulated to acertain extent via the slip. One can also envisage only individual onesof the drive members along the drive shaft being driven and other drivemembers being designed as freely rotating deflection members, such asrollers or cogs.

If the drive members are e.g. designed as cogs, then speed differencesbetween the conveying member and the drive member can no longer becompensated via the slip. The angular speed of the drive members,starting from a uniform angular speed of the drive shaft in the radialdirection to the arcuate path must be adapted to the different trackspeeds of the conveying member. This can be effected e.g. in the knownway and manner by way of the pitch circle diameter of the drive cogsincreasing radially from the inner arc to the outer arc of the curveconveyor. Considered at a whole, the cog arrangement has a conicalarrangement radially from the inner arc to the outer arc. Thisembodiment variant however has the disadvantage that the upper runsection and the lower run section do not have the same distance to oneanother transversely to the movement direction of the conveying member.

According to an alternative solution, the drive members arranged alongthe rotation axis of the drive device, in particular drive cogs aredesigned with the same pitch circle diameters. However, an individualtransmission gear, e.g. a planetary gear is assigned to each drivemember and this gear assigns an individual rotational speed to the cog.

The drive members arranged along the rotation axis of the drive devicethus rotate at different angular speeds, which increase radially fromthe inner arc to the outer arc of the curve conveyor.

Basically, a differential gear which transmits different rotationalspeeds to the individual drive members along the drive shaft can also beprovided for achieving the same result. This however is comparativelyexpensive and is therefore economically of less interest.

The drive devices can further also comprise a braking and/or blockingdevice. The braking device permits a rapid braking of the conveyingmember, i.e. with an emergency stop. The blocking device permits theblocking of the one-sided or double-sided freewheel of the stationarydrive shaft. In this manner, one prevent the stationary conveying memberand the conveyed goods arranged thereon from being able to be set inmotion under the effect of an external force, in idle operation

The invention further relates to a further aspect of a conveying device,specifically the support device. According to a further object of theinvention, independently of the drive device, a support device is to besuggested which is characterised by a reliable, large-surfaced supportof the conveying member as well as by a simple construction. The supportdevice in particular should be inexpensively manufacturable with fewmanufacturing steps, lightweight and robust and torsionally rigiddespite this. Moreover, the support device should be constructed acompact manner and in particular have a small construction height. Thesubsequently described support device or conveying device with thesupport device can be considered as an independent invention whichhowever indeed can be combined with the invention described above,wherein the support device according to the invention can be consideredas an alternative embodiment to the support devices described above.

The conveying device according to this invention likewise comprises: atleast one revolving, extensively extended conveying member with an upperrun section and a lower run section and which is deflected in twohead-end regions distanced to one another, a support device arrangedbetween the two head-end regions, for the support of the upper runsection, in particular for the rolling support, and a drive device whichis preferably arranged in one of the head-end regions.

This further invention is then characterised in that the support devicecomprises an extensively extended support body which comprises twosurface elements which are held together and are distanced to oneanother by way of connection profiles arranged between the surfaceelements. The two surface elements each form an outer-lying, freesurface-side. A first surface element with its upper free surface-sidefaces the conveying member or the upper run section of this. A secondsurface element with its lower, free surface-side faces the lower runsection of the conveying member or the ground base.

Receiver bodies which receive support rollers for supporting the upperrun section are attached on the free upper surface-side of the firstsurface element.

The support body in particular comprises a plurality of connectionprofiles which are arranged between the surface elements and arepreferably aligned parallel to one another. The present inventionthereby fulfils the initially mentioned demands, wherein even aconstruction height of only 80 mm is achieved.

The surface elements are preferably plates or sheets of plastic ormetal, in particular aluminium. The surface elements can also becomposite plates of several materials such as plastic and metal. Thesurface elements can be designed in a closed-surfaced manner or can haveopenings. Thus for example perforated plates or grating elements can beapplied.

The connection profiles are longitudinal components of e.g. plastic orpreferably of metal such as aluminium. The metal profiles are preferablyextruded profiles. The connection profiles can be designed e.g. asC-profiles which is to say U-profiles or I profiles. The connectionprofiles are preferably bonded to the surface elements over a largearea. For this, in particular profile walls are bonded to the surfaceelements. The connection profiles can also be welded to the surfaceelements.

The bonding connection can be created by way of a flowing (highlyviscous to pasty), curing or drying adhesive, an adhesive strip or anadhesive film.

The receiver bodies are preferably likewise bonded or welded to thefirst surface element in a large-surfaced manner. The receiver bodiesare preferably designed as longitudinal components, in particular aslongitudinal profiles or plastic or metal, such as aluminium. Thereceiver bodies can be designed e.g. as C-profiles or U-profiles. Theyform a receiver space which points away from the surface element, forrollers arranged one after the other in conveying direction. The rollersare guided in this receiver space in a stationary manner or in a movablyrolling manner parallel to the conveying direction.

According to a further development of the invention, the support bodyalso comprises receiver bodies on the lower, free surface side of thesecond surface element.

The receiver bodies here too form a receiver space for rollers arrangedone after the other in the conveying direction and this receiver spacefaces away from the surface element. The rollers are guided in thisreceiver space in a stationary manner or in a movably rolling mannerparallel to the conveying direction.

According to this further development of the invention, the rollers notonly form a support for the upper run section of the conveying member,but also a rolling guide for the lower run section of the conveyingmember.

According to another further development of the invention, the supportbody comprises receiver bodies which are arranged between the twosurface elements and which form a receiver space for rollers arrangedone after the other in the conveying direction. The rollers are led inthis receiver space in a movable rolling manner parallel to theconveying direction.

The receiver body according to the mentioned further developments of theinvention can be designed as described above and be attached on thesurface element.

In a preferred further development of the invention, in each case areceiver body directed to the upper run section and a receiver bodywhich lies therebelow and which in particular is directed to the lowerrun section, together with connection bodies arranged at the end-sideform a revolving track for the support rollers which revolves around thesupport body. The revolving track is not circular. In contrast, in thesupport region it preferably forms a linear track section. The supportrollers are thus led in a revolving manner around the support body, inthe receiver bodies along a revolving track which amongst other thingsalso runs parallel to the conveying direction.

The rollers are not mounted in a stationary manner. The carrying loadhere is transmitted onto the support body exclusively via the lateralsurface of the rollers. The support rollers can be connected to oneanother into a rolling body by way of a connection element, wherein thee.g. extensively surfaced connection element merely serves as a guideelement and receives or transmits no support forces.

The conveying device here too comprises side limitation device which runparallel to the conveying direction and which in particular can beformed by side longitudinal profiles. The two side limitation deviceshere can also be connected by way of head-end limitation devices, e.g.transverse profiles, into a carrier frame. The support device is thenpreferably fastened laterally onto the two side limitation devices. Forthis, the support body between the two surface elements can compriselaterally arranged connection profiles, via which the fastening to theside limitation devices is affected. The support device in particular isarranged within the carrier frame design and is fastened on this. Inthis manner, the carrying load applied within the side limitationdevices onto the conveying member is transmitted outwards onto the sidelimitation devices or the carrier frame.

The conveying device hereby can comprise a single continuous supportdevice. It is also possible for the conveying device to comprise severalsupport devices of the same or a complementary construction type, whichin the conveying direction are arranged next to one another and/or oneafter the other. The support devices of the described type arepreferably designed as an assembly unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject-matter of the invention is hereinafter described by way ofpreferred embodiment examples which are represented in the accompanyingdrawings. In each case are shown schematically in:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a drive device;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the drive device according toFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a deflection device;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the support device of the conveyingdevice according to the invention, from above;

FIG. 5 is a further perspective view of a support device of a conveyingdevice according to the invention, from above;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail perspective view from the region of thedrive device;

FIG. 7 is a further perspective view of a support device of a conveyingdevice according to the invention, from above;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a supporting device of a conveyingdevice according to the invention, from below;

FIG. 9 is an elevation view of a specific embodiment, from the region ofthe drive device;

FIG. 10 is an elevation view of a further specific embodiment from theregion of the drive device;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a specific embodiment of the conveyingdevice according to the invention;

FIG. 12 is an elevation view of a side limitation device of a conveyingdevice according to FIG. 11, in detail;

FIGS. 13-14 are elevation views of a first use the conveying deviceaccording to the invention;

FIG. 15 is a plan view of a further use of the conveying deviceaccording to the invention;

FIG. 16 is a longitudinal section through a conveying device;

FIG. 17 is a transverse section through a further embodiment of aconveying device;

FIG. 18 is a cross section through the drive device in the region of thedrive member, according to a further embodiment;

FIG. 19 is a cross section through the drive device in the region of thedrive member, according to a further embodiment;

FIG. 20 is a perspective representation of a further embodiment of adrive device;

FIG. 21 a is a lateral view of the conveying member according to theconveying device according to FIG. 20;

FIG. 21 b is a lateral view of a second embodiment of a conveying memberfor use in a conveying device according to FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a drive device;

FIG. 23 is a perspective part view of the conveying device according toFIG. 17 with a further embodiment of a support device;

FIG. 24 is a perspective part view of a further embodiment of aconveying device according to the invention;

FIG. 25 is a perspective part view of a further embodiment of aconveying device according to the invention;

FIG. 26 is a perspective part view of a further embodiment of a supportdevice;

FIG. 27 is a perspective part view of a further embodiment of aconveying device according to the invention;

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of a high-bay warehouse with conveyingdevices according to the invention;

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a conveyingdevice according to the invention.

Basically in the figures, the same parts are provided with the samereference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The embodiment of a drive device 5 according to the invention and whichis shown in the FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a centrally arranged electricaldrive motor 21, from which the motor shaft 31 leads away out of themotor housing in two opposite directions. The subsequent descriptionrelates to the construction of the drive device 5, departing from thecentrally arranged motor, to the periphery. In each case a gear unit 22is flanged onto the drive motor 21 at both sides of the drive motor 21.In each case a gear shaft 32 leads out of the gear housing from the gearunit 22. In each case a shaft coupling 23 which is connected to the gearshaft 32 in a rotationally fixed manner, connects to the gear shaft 32on both sides. The shaft coupling 23 in turn is connected to the driveshaft 25 in a rotationally fixed manner. The two drive shafts 25 eachreceive two drive cogs 24 which are secured on these axially and in arotationally fixed manner and are distanced to one another. The securingagainst an axial displacement is effected via securing rings 27. Therotational securing or locking is effected via a positive-fit device ofa grooves and cams, which are provided in the circularly cylindricalouter and inner periphery of the components engaging into one another.The drive shafts 25 are rotatably mounted with their end sections in aball bearing 26. The ball bearings 26 are attached in each case onlateral mounting elements 7. The mounting elements 7 in turn areattached on the respective side limitation device 37.

The construction of the drive device 5 is mirror symmetrical, whereinthe plane of symmetry runs centrally through the drive motor 21.Moreover, from the present arrangement, it is also evident that themotor shaft, the gear shaft as well as the drive shaft and the drivecogs are arranged coaxially. The drive device can be designed in a verycompact and space-saving manner with this design.

Moreover, a transverse component 9 on which the drive motor 21 isassembled in a stationary manner is provided in the region of the drivedevice 5. The transverse component 9 is designed as a U-profile. Theprofile walls have a rectangular crenulated structure. Longitudinal beamelements 8 for receiving support units 4 are introduced into therectangular recesses of the profile walls (see also FIG. 4). Thetransverse component 9 hereby does not serve or not only serves for thesupport of the longitudinal beam elements 8, but also for the alignmentof these transversely to the conveying direction F.

The drive device 46 according to FIG. 22 differs from the drive device 5according to FIG. 1 only in the design of the drive motor and in thefastening of this on the conveying device as well as in the associatedgear unit. With regard to the remaining features, the embodimentaccording to FIG. 22 corresponds to the embodiment according to FIGS. 1and 2, which is why at this location and with respect to this, thedescription of the mentioned features in the context of FIGS. 1 and 2 isreferred to. The features concerned therefore have the same referencenumerals in FIG. 22 as in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The electrical drive motor 44 according to FIG. 22 is likewise arrangedcentrally. In contrast to FIG. 1 however, this is arranged set backtransversely to the drive shaft 25 and in the direction of the opposite,second head-end. The motor shaft encloses an angle α of 90° with thedrive shaft 25 or the gear shaft of the gear unit 45.

The drive moment is transmitted by the drive motor 44 onto an outputshaft 47 which is led coaxially to the motor shaft and which is turn isled into a gear unit 45. The gear unit 45 has an angle gear, via whichthe drive moment supplied by the output shaft 47 is introduced into thedrive shaft 25 lying at a right angle to the output shaft 47.

A gear shaft led coaxially to the drive shaft 25 leads out of the gearhousing from the gear unit 45 in each case to both sides (not shown inFIG. 22). A shaft coupling 23 connects to the gear shaft at both sidesand is connected to the gear shaft in a rotationally fixed manner. Theshaft coupling 23 in turn is connected to the drive shaft 25 in arotationally fixed manner

The drive motor 44 is assembled on a transverse component 9 in astationary manner via a holder 48. Further details with regard to thetransverse components 9 are likewise to be deduced from the descriptionwith regard to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The drive devices 5, 46 according to FIGS. 1, 2 and 22 are preferablyattached in a first head-end region 10 of the conveying device 1 whichat the same time is a deflection location.

A non-driven deflection device 6 for example is provided at the oppositesecond head-end region 11 of the conveying device 1 (see FIGS. 3 and 5).

The deflection device (see FIG. 3) comprises a deflection shaft-likepivot 28 which via a ball bearing 30 is rotatably mounted on the frameor the side limitation device 37 of the conveying device 1. Deflectioncogs 29 which are secured against an axial displacement via securingrings 27 are arranged on the deflection shaft-like pivot 28 at regulardistances to one another. One can also envisage the drive members beingdistanced to one another or secured against axial displacement viaspacer sleeves.

FIGS. 4 to 8 show details of a conveying device 1 according to theinvention, in different perspective views. For the purpose of a betteroverview, the conveying member which is preferably a mat chain is notrepresented in these representations. The conveying device 1 in a firsthead-end region 10 comprises a drive device 5 of the type described inFIGS. 1 and 2. The drive device 5 or its drive shaft 25 is connected viaball bearings 26 to the side limitation devices 37 designed as laterallongitudinal profiles. At this point, a repeated description of thedrive device represented in FIGS. 4 to 8 is therefore omitted. Moreover,for the sake of a better overview, not all reference numerals withregard to the drive device 5 have been specified again in the FIGS. 4 to8.

The conveying device 1 comprises two side limitation devices, alsocalled lateral longitudinal limitation devices, in the form of laterallongitudinal profiles 37 which run parallel to the conveying directionF. The lateral longitudinal profiles 37 in the two head-end regions 10,11 are joined together with a head-end limitation device in the form oftransverse profiles 14, into a carrier frame. This however with regardto the drawing is only evident from the FIGS. 5 to 7. The transverseprofile 14 in the head-end region is not represented in FIG. 4.

Support or levelling feet 18, via which the conveying device 1 issupported on the ground or an underlay, are attached on the laterallongitudinal profiles 37 towards the ground.

The conveying device 1 has a support device 3 arranged between thelateral longitudinal profiles 37. The support device 3 comprises aplurality of longitudinal beam elements 8 which run in the conveyingdirection and parallel to the lateral longitudinal profiles 37 and whichare designed as U-profiles which are open upwards to the upper runsection. The U-profiles 8 as already mentioned are introduced with theirend sections into recesses in the profile walls of the head-sidetransverse profiles 9 and via these are aligned transversely to theconveying direction F. Of course, yet further transverse profiles 9 ofthe described type can be provided between the head-end regions 10, 11in the support region, so that the longitudinal beam elements 8 are yetadditionally guided and/or supported.

Support units 4 are inserted into the U-shaped recesses of thelongitudinal beam elements 8 and are secured therein against adisplacement in the conveying direction F. The longitudinal beamelements 8 in their side walls comprise securing slots, through whichsecuring means are led and can be connected to the support units 4. Aplurality of support elements 4 can be arranged one after the other in alongitudinal beam element 8 which are led e.g. up to the respectivehead-end regions 10, 11. The arrangement of support units 4 placed oneafter the other runs parallel to the conveying direction F. Now aplurality of such rows of support units 4 which run parallel to oneanother and in the conveying direction F, are provided transversely tothe conveying direction F. These are arranged in suitable longitudinalbeam elements 8 which are arranged parallel to one another and aredistanced to one another. The distance of the longitudinal beam elements8 and accordingly of the support elements 4 to one another is freelyselectable. The support elements 4 of adjacent rows can be arrangedoffset to one another along the conveying direction.

The described arrangement ensures a surface-covering rolling support ofthe conveying member 2 which however is not continuous transversely tothe conveying direction. A continuous, rolling support transversely tothe conveying direction F however is not absolutely necessary, since theconveying member 2 and in particular the links of mat chains have acertain intrinsic stiffness.

A grating 20 (see FIG. 5) is arranged below the longitudinal beamelements 8 and assumes a carrying or supporting function for thelongitudinal beam elements 8. The lower run section 13 of the conveyingmember 2 is led through below the grating 20.

The conveying device also comprises a transformer 15 for transforming amains voltage into a drive supply voltage, a control unit 17 for controlof the drive device 5 as well as a mains apparatus 16 for theelectronics supply voltage of the control unit 17. The threeconstruction units are arranged in each case between two support units 4or between two longitudinal beam elements 8 and between the upper andlower run section 12, 13 of the conveying device 1 as well as betweenthe two head-ends 10 a, 11 a.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show a mat chain 2 which is led around the drive cogs 24of the drive device 5. The mat chain 2 moves along the movementdirection B which in the upper run section corresponds to the conveyingdevice F. The movement direction B of the mat chain corresponds to therotation direction D of the drive shaft 25, in the region of thedeflection on the drive device 5, which is to say in the region of thewrapping with the drive cogs 24. The rotation direction D of the driveshaft 25 is selected such that the drive device 5 pulls the upper runsection 12 with the conveyed goods placed thereon. The drive device 5can however also be designed for a reverse operation, with which theconveying member can also be moved in the opposite direction.Accordingly, an opposite rotation direction of the drive shaft 25 isalso possible. This drive configuration is not limited to the presentembodiment example but can be applied very generally in the invention.

The teeth of the drive cogs 24 engage with a positive-fit intocorresponding recesses in the mat chain 2 and thus permit a forcetransmission by way of a positive-fit. The wrapping angle is about 180°,by which means the upper and the lower run section 12, 13 come to lie ina parallel guidance relative to one another. If the drive members aredesigned as drive rollers, then the force transmission is effected via afiction fit (not shown). This however necessitates a sufficient pressingof the drive member onto the drive rollers.

Moreover, one can deduce from FIGS. 9 and 10 as to how the mat chain 2is supported in a rolling manner in the region of the upper run section12, by way of the rolling body 35 of the support unit 4. The supportunit 4 comprises the already mentioned rolling body 35. This comprises aplurality of individual rollers 33 which are revolvingly led around asupport body 36. The rollers 33 are guided in a manner distanced to oneanother via a connection means. The resting forces of the mat chain 2are in fact transmitted via the roll surface of the rollers 33 onto thesupport body 36. The support unit 4 moreover comprises side guideelements 34 which prevent the rollers 33 from laterally slipping fromthe support body 36. The support units 4 are of course arranged in theconveying device 1 such that their revolving track U runs in the contactregion of the conveying member 2 parallel to the conveying direction F.

In the embodiment example according to FIG. 10, the mat chain 2 is alsosupported in the region of the lower run section 13 via the supportunits 4 described above. This however is not absolutely necessary. Thusthe lower run section 13 according to FIG. 9 is supported via slideguides 43.

Of course, two or more conveying devices 1 can be arranged one after theother into an overriding conveying installation, wherein in each case afirst head-end region of a first conveying device meets a secondhead-end region of a second conveying device (not shown). The conveyinginstallation can be a conveyor line. The drive devices of the conveyingdevices can be connected to one another with regard to controltechnology and driven via a central control device. With this, theindividual conveying devices of the conveying installation can be drivenin a coordinated and in particular synchronous manner.

A deflection member 40 in the embodiment of a spring-loaded deflectionroller is assigned to the drive device 5 in both embodiment examplesaccording to FIGS. 9 and 10. The deflection roller 40 is arrangedbetween the drive device 5 and the opposite deflection device. In theregion of the driven, first head-end region 10, it is pressed viacompression springs 41 towards the lower run section 13, wherein thelower run section 13 is pressed in the direction of the upper runsection 12. By way of this, the wrapping angle around the drive cog ordrive cogs 24 is increased, e.g. by 5 to 30° (angle degrees). The largerthe wrapping angle, the more secure or reliable is the forcetransmission from the drive device onto the mat chain 2.

A guide roller 42 which deflects the lower run section 13 to the guideis arranged subsequently to the deflection member 40 in the direction ofthe return of the lower run section.

The guide as mentioned is a slide-guide 43 or a roller-supported guide.

FIGS. 20, 21 a and 21 b show a further embodiment of a mat chain 75which is led around a drive cog 76 of a drive device. The mat chain 75moves along the movement direction B which in the upper run sectioncorresponds to the conveying direction F. The upper run section 12 ofthe mat chain 75 is supported via a support device 77.

In the region of the deflection on the drive device, which is to say inthe region of the wrapping with the drive cog 76, the movement directionB of the mat chain corresponds to the rotation direction D of the driveshaft 25. The rotation direction D of the drive shaft 25 is selectedsuch that the drive device pulls the upper run section 12 with theconveyed goods placed thereon.

In contrast to the embodiment according to FIGS. 9 and 10, a pluralityof support rollers 78 which are stationary with respect to the mat chain75, 75′ and are mounted in an axially rotatable manner are attached onthe mat chain 75, 75′ on the flat side which faces the support device77.

The support rollers 78 together with the mat chain 75, 75′ are moved inthe conveying direction F. Thereby, they cooperate with the supportdevice 77 by way of these rolling on this. The mat chain 75, 75′comprises a plurality of support rollers 78 which are arranged distancedto one another over the complete length of the mat chain 75, 75′ andthus ensure a uniform rolling support on the support device 77, for alarge-surfaced or extensive support. The support rollers 75, 75′ extendover the whole width of the mat chain 75. The support device 77 for thisforms a plane rolling surface for the rollers.

Support rollers 78 are attached in each case on the connection locationsof two mat chain links 74 a, 74 a′; 74 b, 74 b′, wherein the rotationshaft-like pivots of the support rollers 78 and the connectionshaft-like pivots of the mat chain links 74 a, 74 a′; 74 b, 74 b′ areeach designed together.

According to a further development of this embodiment, the mat chain 75′between the connection shaft-like pivots in each case may comprisefurther support rollers 78′ with additional rotation shaft-like pivots.I.e. additional support rollers 78′ can be arranged on the individualmat chain links 74 a′, 74 b′ (FIG. 21 b).

The drive cog 76 is designed such that the support rollers 78, 78′ onthe mat chain 75, 75′ engage into corresponding recesses on the drivecog 76. Moreover, the drive cog 76 comprises teeth 79 which engage intocorresponding recesses 74 on the side of the mat chain 75, 75′ whichfaces this drive cog. The positive-fit connection necessary for thetransmission of a drive moment from the drive cog 76 onto the mat chain75, 75′ is created in this manner.

Moreover, a deflection member 40 in the design of a spring-loadeddeflection roller is assigned to the drive device according to FIG. 20,analogously to the embodiment according to FIG. 9. The deflection roller40 is arranged between the drive device and the opposite deflectiondevice. In the region of the driven first head-end region 10, it ispressed via a compression spring 41 to the lower run section 13, whereinthe lower run section 13 is pressed in the direction of the upper runsection 12. The wrapping angle around the drive cog 76 is enlarged byway of this.

A guide roller 2 which deflects the lower run section 13 to aslide-guide 43 is arranged subsequently to the deflection member 40 inthe direction of the return of the lower run section. The lower runsection 13 of the mat chain 75, 75′ is subsequently supported to thebottom via the slide-guides 43. The description with regard to FIG. 9 isreferred to with for this.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show a further embodiment of the conveying device 51according to the invention. This in the present example is designed as acurve conveyor, by way of which the conveyed goods can be conveyedaround a curve. The curve conveyor 51 is e.g. combined with linearlyconveying conveying devices of the previously described type, into aconveying installation. The curve conveyor 51 in the present embodimentexample forms a conveying angle of 90°. I.e. the conveying direction ofthe conveyed goods coming from the first head-end region 60 is deflectedby 90° to the second head-end region 61.

The mentioned conveying device 51 likewise has a first head-end region60 with a drive device 55, and a second head-end region 61 which is at aright angle to this and which has a deflection device 56. The conveyingmember 52 which here is a conveyor belt led at a right angle, isdeflected into the two head-end regions 60, 61 and thus forms an upperrun section 62 with a conveying section, and a lower run section 63 witha return section. The upper run section is supported between thehead-end regions 60, 61 to the bottom, likewise via a support device.

The conveying member 52 is led along a circular track which is definedby a circle centre P. The drive members 67 are then arranged atdifferent radial distances R1, R2 to the circle centre along therotation axis of the drive device 55. The rotation axis of the drivedevice 55 is aligned radially to the circle centre P. The conveyingmember 52 then moves on the outer arc at a higher speed around thedeflection in the head-end region, than in the inner arc. Accordingly,the drive member 67 arranged at the greater radial distance R1 inconveying operation rotates at a higher angular speed ω1 than the drivemember at the smaller radial distance R2 and operated with the angularspeed ω2 (see also FIGS. 18 and 19).

The drive device 55 is likewise constructed in a mirror-symmetricalmanner and comprises a centrally arranged electric drive motor 65. Ineach case, a shaft coupling 66 is arranged on both sides of the drivedevice. The gear in contrast to the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and2 is either integrated in the drive motor 65 or no such one is provided.The drive motor 65 on both sides is connected to a drive shaft 68, onwhich a plurality of drive rollers 67 are applied in a rotationally andaxially secured manner. The drive of the conveyor belt 52 is effectedvia a friction fit. The drive shaft 68 at its free end is mounted in arotatable manner on a side limitation device 57 via ball bearings. Thedrive motor 65 is likewise fastened on a transverse component which forits part is connected to the side limitation device 57.

The deflection device comprises a deflection shaft-like pivot 70 whichwith its free end-sections are rotatably mounted in a side limitationdevice 57 via ball bearings. A plurality of deflection rollers 71 areapplied on the deflection shaft-like pivot 70 in an axially securedmanner.

The conveyor belt 52 at its outer arc is led over guiding and pressingrollers 53. The guiding rollers 53 press the conveyor belt 52 in thedirection of the support device and simultaneously tension it radiallyoutwards. The conveyor belt 52 would otherwise arch in the outer arc byway of the guiding.

FIGS. 13 and 14 represent a first possible application of the conveyingdevice 80, 81 according to the invention, in the field of loading goods,in particular palleted goods, on railed vehicles or road vehicles, suchas lorries. The conveying devices 80, 81 likewise have a revolving matchain 82 or conveyor belt which is or are deflected in two head-endregions 87, 88 which are opposite to one another. The applicationenvisages a first conveying device 81 as a loading conveying device.This is positioned on a loading ramp. The first head-end region 87 ofthe loading conveying device 81 is directed to a transport vehicle 84and ends preferably directly in front of a loading opening 89 of thetransport vehicle 84. The second, oppositely lying head-end region 88 isdirected to a feeder side or loader side, on which the transported goods83, e.g. palleted transported goods are fed and transferred to theloading conveying device 81 by way of lifting and conveying means, suchas e.g. by way of a fork-lift truck according to FIGS. 13 and 14. Thetransported goods 83 are conveyed via the loading conveying device 81 tothe loading opening 89 of the transport vehicle 84.

A further conveying device 80 according to the invention and which isdesigned as a loading space conveying device is arranged on the loadingsurface of the transport vehicle 84. The loading space can be designedas an open or closed loading space. The loading space conveying device80 at the loading opening 89 takes the conveyed goods 83 fed by theloading conveying device 81 and conveys these along the loading surfaceinto the loading space.

Since the drive device of the conveying device 80 is operated with avoltage of 24 V, the loading space conveying device can be connecteddirectly to the vehicle mains, which with motor vehicles as a rule islikewise operated at 24 V. No retrofitting is necessary for this.

As is known from the state of the art, the loading surface of thetransport vehicle 84 is brought to the level of the loading ramp, or theconveying surfaces of the two conveying devices 80, 81 are brought tothe same level, for loading the conveyed goods 83. For this, thetransport vehicle can be lifted and lowered via a hoist 86.

The loading space conveying device 80 as well as the loading conveyingdevice 81 has a drive device 3 according to the invention in bothhead-end regions 87, 88. In this manner, the mat chain 82 can beoperated in a forward and backwards direction.

The loading space conveying device can also be applied in a container,such as a freight container or ship container for loading and unloadingthe container.

FIG. 15 represents a further important application of the conveyingdevice 91 according to the invention, as a worker-rider belt. FIG. 15shows an assembly line 90 for cars or automobiles. Of course, withregard to the objects on the assembly line 90 it is not necessarily thecase of automobiles. The automobiles are conveyed via a conveyinginstallation 94, e.g. on a conveyor belt or with a suspended conveying,along the assembly line 90. During the conveying of the automobiles,assembly steps or working steps are carried out on the automobiles byway of factory workers 95 positioned laterally on the assembly line 90.The factory workers 95 are co-conveyed with the same, a higher or lowerspeed than the automobiles parallel to the automobiles, on worker riderbelts 91 arranged laterally of the assembly line 90, so that the factoryworkers 95 can carry out the necessary working steps on the automobiles,without the conveying of these being stopped. The worker-rider belt 21is operated with a mat chain 92.

The conveying device 121 according to FIG. 16, in a longitudinal sectionshows the upper run section 124 and the lower run section 125 of a matchain 123. The upper run section 124 is supported in a rolling mannervia a plurality of support units 122 which are arranged one after theother in the movement direction B of the mat chain 123. The support unit122 comprises a support body 126 as well as a rolling body with aplurality of support rollers 127 which are arranged in a closedrevolving path U around the support body 126. The support rollers 127roll along the support body 126. A protective belt 128 is arranged onthe outer periphery of the support unit 122 and lies above the supportrollers 127, so that the mat chain 123 does not roll directly on thesupport rollers 126. The protective belt 128 as a closed belt isarranged revolving around the support body 126. The support units 122moreover have side guide elements 130 which prevent the support rollers127 from laterally sliding from the support body 126.

The support rollers 127 are connected to one another via an extensivelysurfaced connection element 129, into the rolling body, wherein theconnection element 129 serves merely for guiding and spacing the rollersand accommodates no support forces.

The conveying device 101 according to FIGS. 17 and 23 comprises aconveying member in the form of a conveyor belt 103 with an upper runsection 104 and a lower run section 105 and which is deflected at twohead-end regions (not shown) which lie opposite one another. A supportdevice 102 is arranged between the two head-end regions for the rollingsupport of the upper run section 104.

The support device 102 has an extensively extended support body 106which in each case comprises an upper plate element 107 a facing theupper run section 104 and a lower plate element 107 b facing the lowerrun section 105, and these elements are of e.g. metal such as aluminium,or plastic. The two plate elements 107 a, 107 b are held together anddistanced to one another by way of connection profiles 108 which arearranged between these. The connection profiles 108 here by way ofexample are designed in a C-shaped or U-shaped manner. The connectionprofiles 108 consist e.g. likewise of metal, such as aluminium, orplastic.

Receiver bodies in the form of C-shaped or U-shaped receiver profiles109 which run parallel next to one another and parallel to the movementdirection of the conveyor belt 103 are attached on the plate elements107 a, 107 b. These e.g. can be of plastic or metal such as aluminium.The receiver profiles 109 are longitudinal profiles. The receiverprofiles 109 form a receiver space for support rollers 112 arranged oneafter the other in the movement direction of the conveyor belt 103. Thesupport rollers 112 are led in the receivers of the receiver profiles109 in a rolling manner.

The connection profiles 108 are bonded to the plate elements 107 a, 107b in a large-surfaced or extensive manner via profile walls amid theformation of large-surfaced bonding connections 110. The longitudinalprofiles 109 are likewise bonded to the outer-lying free surface side ofthe associated plate element 107 a, 107 b via the profile base, likewiseamid the formation of large-surfaced or extensive bonding connections111. Welding connections are also conceivable instead of bondingconnections.

The support body 106 then on its surface side of the plate elements 107a which faces the upper run section 104 as well as on its surface sideof the plate element 107 b which faces the lower run section 105 in eachcase comprises C-shaped or U-shaped receiver profiles 109 arrangedvertically above one another.

Receiver profiles 109 which are arranged in pairs above one another andare aligned vertically on one another, together with connection bodies(not shown) arranged on the end-side, form a revolving track U for thesupport rollers 112 and revolving around the support body 106.

The support rollers 112 are thus revolvingly guided in the receiverprofiles 109 arranged above one another, around the support body 106.

The support rollers 112 are connected via a flat, flexible connectionbody 113 into a rolling body.

FIGS. 18 and 19 show further embodiment variants of drive devices 201,301 of a conveying device 200, 300. The drive device 201, 301 in eachcase comprises a drive member 202, 302 with an outer toothing 203, 303which engages with a positive fit into corresponding recesses of a matchain 209, 309 which at least partly is wrapped around the drive member202, 302. The conveying member does not necessarily need to be a matchain. The mat chain 209, 309 with its upper run section is supported onsupport units 210, 310 of the described type which are equipped withrolling bodies.

The outer toothing 203, 303 is arranged on the outer periphery of arotatable hollow wheel 211, 311 which is part of a planetary gear. Thehollow wheel 211, 311 comprises an inner toothing 204, 304. Theplanetary gear further comprises a sun wheel 206, 306 which is rotatablyguided in the rotation direction S via the drive shaft and which isaccordingly coupled to the drive shaft. The sun wheel 206, 306 issurrounded in each case by three planet wheels 205, 305 which areuniformly distanced to one another. These with their toothing on the onehand engage inwards into the toothing of the sun wheel 206, 306 and onthe other hand to the outside into the inner toothing 204, 305 of thehollow wheel 211, 311. The planet wheels 205, 305 are in each caserotatably arranged on a rigidly mounted planet wheel carrier 207, 307.The planet wheel carrier 207, 307 is fastened for example on atransverse component (not shown).

According to the embodiment example according to FIG. 18, the innertoothing of the hollow wheel 211 has twice the number of teeth as thesun wheel 206, so that a transmission ratio of 2:1 is set. According tothe embodiment example according to FIG. 19, the inner toothing of thehollow wheel 211 has four times the number of teeth than the sun wheel206, so that a transmission ration of 4:1 is set. The angular speed ω1of the hollow wheel 211 according to FIG. 18 as a result is larger thanthe angular speed ω2 of the hollow wheel 311 according to FIG. 19.

If with regard to the drive motor it is the case of a drum motor (notshown), then the planet wheel carrier is driven instead of the sunwheel. The sun wheels here are arranged in a rotationally fixed manneron a centric, rigid shaft-like pivot.

The embodiments according to FIGS. 18 and 19 are applied for example incurve conveyors such as described in FIG. 11. The drive members whichare arranged along the rotation axis of the drive device accordinglyhave different transmission ratios. By way of this, the drive embersmove at different angular speeds ω1, ω2.

The part view of a further embodiment of a conveying device 351according to the invention which is shown in FIG. 24, in both head-endregions 10, 11, comprises a drive device 5 according to the invention,in each case with a drive motor 21 according to the FIGS. 1 and 2. Oneor both of the drive devices 46 in the head-end regions can however alsobe designed according to FIG. 22.

The drive devices 5 are in each case fastened with their lateral ends ona side limitation device 37. The side limitation device 37 compriseslateral longitudinal profiles. Likewise represented are transversecomponents 9 which are assigned to the drive devices 5. The FIGS. 1 and2 and the associated description are referred to for further detailswith regard to this, as the description is likewise applicable here.

The part view of a further embodiment of a conveying device 361according to the invention which is shown in FIG. 25 corresponds to theembodiment according to 24, but with the difference that the presentembodiment comprises a further drive device 5 with a drive motor 21according to FIGS. 1 and 2 which is arranged between the two drivedevices 5 arranged in the head-end regions 10, 11. The additional drivedevice 5 is likewise fastened with its lateral ends in each case on theadjacent side limitation device 37. A transverse component 9 of thealready motioned type is assigned to the additional drive device. Thedrive motor 21 is fastened on one of the transverse components 9.

Further details, in particular for the drive device 5, can be deducedfrom the FIGS. 1, 2 and 24 as well as the associated description.

FIG. 26 shows a part view of a further embodiment of a conveying device401, in particular of the associated support device 402. The presentembodiment has a similar construction as the conveying device 301according to FIGS. 17 and 23, but with the differences mentionedhereinafter.

The conveying device 401 likewise comprises a conveying member in theform of a conveyor belt 403 with an upper run section 404 and a lowerrun section 405 and which is deflected in two head-end regions lyingopposite one another (not shown). A support device 402 for the rollingsupport of the upper run section 404 is arranged between the twohead-end regions.

The support device 402 comprises an extensively extended support body406 which in each case comprises an upper plate element 407 a facing theupper run section 204 and a lower plate element 407 b facing the lowerrun section 405, wherein these plate elements are e.g. of metal such asaluminium, or of plastic. The two plate elements 407 a, 407 b are heldtogether and distanced to one another by way of connection profiles 408which are arranged between these. The connection profiles 40 aredesigned here for example in a Z-shaped or S-shaped manner. Theconnection profiles 408 consist likewise e.g. of metal such asaluminium, or of plastic.

Receiver bodies in the form of C-shaped or U-shaped receiver profiles409 which run parallel next to one another and parallel to the movementdirection of the conveyor belt 403, towards the upper run section 404,are attached on the first plate element 407 a which faces the upper runsection 404. The receiver profiles 409 form a receiver space for supportrollers 412 which are arranged one after the other in the movementdirection of the conveyor belt 403. The support rollers 412 for this areguided in the receivers of the receiver profiles 409 in a rollingmanner.

C-shaped or U-shaped receiver profiles 409 likewise running parallel tothe movement direction of the conveyor belt 403 are likewise arranged inthe intermediate space between the two plate elements 407 a, 407 b. Thereceiver profiles 409 for this are attached on the lower plate element407 b which faces the lower run section 405.

The mentioned receiver profiles 409 are in particular designed aslongitudinal profiles. They can be of plastic or of metal, such asaluminium.

The support body 406 on its surface side facing the upper run section404 as well as between the plate elements 407, 4 a, 407 b in each casecomprises receiver profiles 409 arranged vertically above one another.

Receiver profiles 409 arranged in pairs above one another and alignedvertically onto one another together with connection bodies (not shown)arranged on the end side in each case form a revolving track U for thesupport rollers 412 and which revolves around the support body 406.

The support rollers 412 are thus revolvingly guided around the supportbody 406 in the receiver profiles 409 which are arranged above oneanother.

The support rollers 412 are moreover connected via a flat, flexibleconnection body 413 into a rolling body.

The connection profiles 408 are bonded in a surfaced manner via profilewalls to the plate elements 407 a, 407 b, amid the formation oflarge-surfaced bonding connections 410. The longitudinal profiles 409are bonded via the profile base to the plate elements 407 b assigned tothese, likewise amid the formation of large-surfaced bonding connections411. Welding connections are also conceivable instead of bondingconnections.

The lower run section 405 of the conveyor belt 403 in contrast to theembodiment example according to FIGS. 17 and 23 cannot roll on theled-back support rollers 412 due to the different type of arrangement ofthe lower receiver profile 409 leading back the support rollers 412. Thesupport rollers 412 in fact are led back in the intermediate spacebetween the two plate elements 407 a, 407 b in a protected manner.

The further embodiment of the conveying device according to theinvention which is shown in FIG. 27 again is characterised by twoconveyor belts 502 a, 502 b which are parallel next to one another anddistanced to one another. Mat chains for example are also possibleinstead of conveyor belts 502 a, 502 b.

The two conveyor belts 502 a, 502 b are each deflected in a common firstand second head-end region 510, 511. For this, a drive device 505according to FIGS. 1 and 2 is provided in the two head-end regions 510,51112 and this, apart from the deflection of the continuous conveyorbelt 502 a, 502 b, also ensures its drive. Drive members 524 areprovided for driving and deflecting the conveyor belts 502 a, 502 b,around which drive members the conveyor belts 502 a, 502 b are wrappedover part of the periphery. The drive members here are designed as driverollers.

The FIGS. 1 and 2 as well as the associated description are referred towith regard to a detailed description of the drive device 505.

The drive motor 521 belonging to the drive device 505 is arrangedcentrally in the free gap between the two conveyor belts 502 a, 502 b.The drive motors 521 are fastened on a transverse component 509 asalready described with regard to the FIGS. 1 and 2. The respectivedescription with regard to FIGS. 1 and 2 is referred to for this aswell.

The two conveyor belts 502, 502 b are arranged between twolongitudinally running side limitation devices 537. The drive devices505 with their lateral end sections are also fastened on the sidelimitation devices 537. For this, the respective description with regardto FIGS. 1 and 2 is referred to.

FIG. 29 shows a further embodiment of a conveying device 601 accordingto the invention, which with regard to the drive arrangement is similarto the embodiment according to FIG. 27. The present embodiment ischaracterised by two pairs of mat chains 602 a, 602 b; 602 c, 602 dwhich are parallel next to one another and are distanced to one another.

The two mat chain pairs 602 a, 602 b; 602 c, 602 d are each deflected ina common first and second head-end region 610, 611. For this, a drivedevice 605 according to FIGS. 1 and 2 is provided in both head-endregions 610, 611, and this drive device apart from the deflection of thetwo continuously guided mat chain pairs 602 a, 602 b; 602 c, 602 d alsoensures their drive. Drive wheel 624, around which the mat chain pairs602 a, 602 b; 602 c, 602 d are wrapped over part of the periphery, areprovided for driving and deflecting the two mat chain pairs 602 a, 602b; 602 c, 602 d. The mat chains 602 a, 602 b; 602 c, 602 d for thiscomprise prominences or recesses which engage with correspondingprominences or recesses on the drive cog 264, preferably with a positivefit. Likewise, the FIGS. 1 and 2 as well as the associated descriptionare referred to for a detailed description of the drive device 605.

The respective drive motor 521 belonging to the drive device 605 isarranged centrally in the free gap between the two mat chain pairs 602a, 602 b; 602 c, 602 d. The drive motors 621 as already described withregard to FIGS. 1 and 2 are fastened on a transverse component 609. Heretoo, the respective description for FIGS. 1 and 2 is referred to.

Each mat chain pair 602 a, 602 b; 602 c, 602 d again consists of twoendlessly led mat chains 602 a, 602 b; 602 c, 602 d which are parallelnext to one another. The mat chains can lie directly next to one anotheror be distanced to one another by a gap. This gap however issignificantly smaller than the gap between the pairs of mat chains 602a, 602 b; 602 c, 602 d.

The two mat chain pairs 602 a, 602 b; 602 c, 602 d are arranged betweentwo longitudinally running side limitation devices 637. The drivedevices 605 with their lateral end sections are also fastened on theside limitation devices 637. The respective description with regard toFIGS. 1 and 2 is again referred to.

The conveying device 601 moreover comprises a support device with aplurality of support units which are arranged one after the other in theconveying direction F as well as between the head ends or head-endregions. The support units are each arranged between the upper and lowerrun section 612, 613 of the mat chain pair 602 a, 602 b; 602 c, 602 d.The support units 604 correspond to those shown in FIGS. 9, 10 as wellas 16, 18, 19 and which have been described. The respective descriptionof the mentioned figures is referred to with regard to further detailson the construction and arrangement of the support units.

The mat chains 602 a, 602 b; 602 c, 602 d are supported in a rollingmanner in the region of the upper run section 612 by way of the rollingbody 365. The rolling body 635 as already described, comprises aplurality of individual rollers which are guided in a revolving manneraround a support body of the support unit 604.

The conveying device 501, 601 according to the FIGS. 27 and 29 issuitable in particular as a storage space conveying device for a storagesystem with pallet spaces, in particular for a high-bay warehouse. Thetwo conveyor belts 502 a, 502 b or mat chain pairs 602 a, 602 b; 602 c,602 d which are distanced to one another each form a conveying track forthe contact regions of a pallet.

FIG. 28 shows a high-bay warehouse system 700 with pallet spaces 702arranged in three dimensions. The high-bay warehouse system 700comprises a plurality of storage levels E1, E2, E3 arranged over oneanother, wherein a plurality of pallet spaces 702 is provided in eachstorage plane E1, E2 E3. The storage system 700 comprises a plurality ofrelease and removal locations 703 arranged above one another and next toone another. A plurality of pallet spaces 702 which are arranged oneafter the other in a row in the conveying direction and are arranged ona storage level E1, E2, E3 are assigned to each of these release andremoval locations 703.

The release location can correspond to the removal location, so that thepalleted stored object 701 is released to the storage system 700 andtaken again from this at the same location. The release location and theremoval locations 703 can however also be spatially separated and e.g.lie above one another. In this case, the stored object 701 is releasedat the release location and is taken at the removal location (notshown).

For storing the palleted product 701, this is released at the releaselocation 703 and is conveyed via the conveying device 705 according tothe invention, onto the envisaged pallet space 702. The palleted storedobject or stored goods 701 are stored on the conveying device 705.

The conveying device 705 can e.g. be a conveying device 501, 601according to FIG. 27 or 29.

For removal of the palleted stored object, the stored object 701 in thereverse sequence is fed via the conveying device 705 according to theinvention to the removal location 703 and is taken at this.

The transfer of the palleted stored object 701 to the release location703 and the take-over of the stored object 701 from the removal location703 is effected e.g. via transport apparatus such as a lift truck orlifting vehicle (not shown).

According to a particular embodiment variant, each pallet space 702comprises an independent and individually controllable conveying device705 according to the invention. The conveying devices 705 of severalpalleted spaces 702 arranged in series one after the other in theconveying direction F, in each case with a common release locationand/or removal location 703 are accordingly likewise arranged in seriesone after the other. The conveying member 706 such as a conveyor belt ormat chain here extends in each case only over the longitudinal extensionof the pallet space 702 in the conveying direction F.

The palleted storage object or stored goods 701 which must be fed to apallet space 702 or away from this, can now be conveyed past theindividual conveying devices 705 from the pallet space 702 to theremoval location 703 or from the release location 703 to the palletspace 702. With this procedure, the palleted stored object 701 is pushedin each case by the one conveying device 705 onto the conveying device705 which is adjacent or subsequent in the conveying direction F or istaken from this.

However, one can also envisage a common conveying device 705 accordingto the invention being provided for a row of pallet spaces 702 which arearranged one after the other in the conveying direction F and which ineach case have a common release location and/or removal location 703,wherein the conveying member of this conveying device such as a conveyorbelt or mat chain, extends over all pallet spaces 702.

1. A conveying device, comprising: two side limitation devices that aredistanced from one another and run parallel to one another in aconveying direction, at least one extensively extended conveying memberwith an upper run section and a lower run section, said conveying memberbeing arranged in a revolving manner between the side limitation devicesand being deflected in two head-end regions distanced from one another,a support device with at least one support unit, said support devicebeing arranged between the side limitation devices, at least one drivedevice with at least one electrical drive motor and with at least onedrive shaft coupled to the at least drive motor and having at least onedrive member for the direct drive of the conveying member at leastpartly wrapping the drive member, wherein the drive device forms adeflection location for the conveying member, wherein: the conveyingdevice comprises rollers for the rolling support of the conveyingmember, and the at least one drive device within the conveying device isarranged in a head-end region: between a conveying plane formed by theupper run section and a return plane formed by the lower run section,and along the conveying direction between the two head-ends as well asbetween the side limitation devices.
 2. The conveying device accordingto claim 1, wherein the drive device comprises at least two drivemotors.
 3. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein thegeometric rotation axes of the motor shaft and of the drive shaft arearranged in a common plane and preferably congruently to one another. 4.The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the at least onedrive shaft is arranged and rotatably mounted centrically in thegeometric rotation axis of the drive device.
 5. The conveying deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the at least one drive motor is designedfor picking up a torque from two locations on the drive motor that lieopposite one another and lie in a common axis, and the drive motor iscoupled to drive shafts arranged on both sides.
 6. The conveying deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the at least one drive motor comprisesmotor shaft sections that lead away from this on both sides and that arecoupled directly or indirectly to drive shafts arranged on both sides.7. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the at least onedrive motor is fastened on a transverse component, and the transversecomponent preferably on both sides is fastened directly or indirectly onthe side limitation device.
 8. The conveying device according to claim1, wherein the at least one drive motor is a drum motor and the at leastone drive shaft is a hollow shaft rotatably mounted about a motorshaft-like pivot which is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner andcentrically in the geometric rotation axis of the drive device.
 9. Theconveying device according to claim 1, wherein, in each case, a gearunit is attached on the drive motor on both sides of at the least onedrive motor and takes the torque from the motor shaft, and the gearshafts of the gear units are connected directly or indirectly to thedrive shafts, wherein the gear shafts, the drive shafts and the motorshaft are arranged coaxially.
 10. The conveying device according toclaim 1, wherein the rotation axis of the motor shaft lies at an angleto the rotation axis of the drive shaft and the torque is transmittedvia a gear unit designed as an angular gear, from the motor shaft ontothe drive shaft.
 11. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein,in each case, a rotationally elastic and/or flexurally elastic shaftcoupling is attached between the at least one drive motor and the atleast one drive shaft, in particular between a gear unit and the driveshaft.
 12. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the drivemember is a drive roller or drive cog which is attached on the driveshaft in a rotationally fixed manner.
 13. The conveying device accordingto claim 1, wherein the drive shafts are rotatably mounted and axiallysecured on both sides of the drive device on the respective sidelimitation device or on mounting elements connected thereto.
 14. Theconveying device according to claim 1, wherein the drive device has amirror-symmetric construction, wherein a drive motor is arrangedcentrally.
 15. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein theconveying device comprises a transformer for feeding the drive motorwith an electric voltage, wherein the transformer within the conveyingdevice is arranged: between side limitation devices as well as between aconveying plane formed by the upper run section and a return planeformed by the lower run section, and along the conveying directionbetween the two head-ends.
 16. The conveying device according to claim1, wherein the conveying device comprises a control unit for controllingthe drive device, wherein the control unit within the conveying deviceis arranged: between side limitation devices as well as between aconveying plane formed by the upper run section and a return planeformed by the lower run section, and along the conveying directionbetween the two head-ends.
 17. The conveying device according to claim16, wherein the conveying device comprises a mains apparatus for feedingthe control unit for the drive device, wherein the mains apparatuswithin the conveying device is arranged: between side limitation devicesas well as between a conveying plane formed by the at least the upperrun section and a return plane formed by the at least one lower runsection, and along the conveying direction between the two head-ends.18. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein: a. the supportdevice or support unit comprises one or more stationarily axiallyrotatably mounted rollers or b. the support unit comprises a supportbody and a rolling body with a multitude of rollers which arerevolvingly arranged in a closed circuit around the support body, or c.the conveying member at its flat side which faces the support devicecomprises rollers that are stationarily and axially rotatably mounted onthe conveying member.
 19. The conveying device according to claim 1,wherein the conveying member is designed in a single-part or multi-partmanner.
 20. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein theconveying device comprises a deflection member that is assigned to thedrive device and that deflects the conveying member, in the region ofthe lower run section, to the drive member, so that the wrapping angleof the conveying member around the at least one drive member is morethan 180°.
 21. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein thefirst as well as the second head-end region is provided with a drivedevice.
 22. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the atleast one drive motor is arranged laterally on the side limitationdevice, and the at least one drive motor is coupled on a side which isaway from the side limitation device, to a drive shaft.
 23. Theconveying device according to claim 22, wherein a drive motor isarranged in each case on both sides on the side limitation device, andthe two drive motors on a side that is away from the respective sidelimitation device, are coupled to a drive shaft.
 24. The conveyingdevice according to claim 1, wherein means are provided that permit thedrive members arranged along the rotation axis to be operated atdifferent angular speeds.
 25. The conveying device according to claim 1,comprising: at least one revolving, extensively extended conveyingmember with an upper run section and a lower run section and that isdeflected in two head-end region that are distanced to one another, asupport device arranged between the two head-end regions, a drivedevice, in particular arranged in a head-end region, wherein: thesupport device is designed for the rolling support of the upper runsection and comprises an extensively extended support body comprisingtwo surface elements that are held together and distanced to one anotherby way of connection profiles arranged between the surface elements, andreceiver bodies are attached on the surface elements and receive supportrollers or rolling bodies for the support of the upper run section. 26.The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the conveying device,seen in the conveying direction, comprises several conveying membersthat are arranged parallel next to one another, and the conveyingmembers are driven and deflected via at least one common drive device.27. (canceled)